Choke Cherry Wine

[Wade E]

~~~~~~~~~~CHOKECHERRY WINE~~~~~~~~~~~~~

8 QUARTS JUICE [22# STEAMED EXTRACTED CHOKECHERRIES]
2 BOTTLES WINEXPERT RED GRAPE CONCENTRATE
9# SUGAR
6 1/2 CAMPDEN TABLETS
4 tsp LIQUID TANNIN
5 tsp ACID BLEND
4 oz AMERICAN OAK CHIPS [TOASTED]
2 VANILLA BEANS

S.G. 1.087 water to 6½ gallons

12 hours later----
3 tsp PECTIC ENZYME
3 tsp YEAST ENERGIZER
6 tsp YEAST NUTRIENT

12 hours later
LALVIN RC-212 YEAST

 

[Goodfella]

Good call on the vanilla beans Wade. I used them on a few wines last year. They turned out nice. Very subtle on the flavor. (1/2 bean per gallon). Adds 1 more element of depth to the wine.

 

[MN-winer]

I have to say my last experience with Choke Cherries was not a good one. I made some a long time ago so I probably did something wrong but it had kind of a rough taste (thats the only way to describe it). Choke cherries are plentiful in MN right now but I don't think I will try that again. Maybe its an acquired taste? Maybe the grape concentrate will smooth it out.

 

[Wade E]

This is not my recipe but is from someone on another forum. She was a loved woman and many raved about this recipe. I have looked at this recipe and everything is spot on as far as a recipe goes and thats the onloy reason I [posted it, well that and the fact that a few people were looking for a recip for this and from looking at many on the internet this was the best looking one there. She used this recipe every yesar for many years.

 

[winemaker_3352]

~~~~~~~~~~CHOKECHERRY WINE~~~~~~~~~~~~~

8 QUARTS JUICE [22# STEAMED EXTRACTED CHOKECHERRIES]
2 BOTTLES WINEXPERT RED GRAPE CONCENTRATE
9# SUGAR
6 1/2 CAMPDEN TABLETS
4 tsp LIQUID TANNIN
5 tsp ACID BLEND
4 oz AMERICAN OAK CHIPS [TOASTED]
2 VANILLA BEANS

S.G. 1.087 water to 6½ gallons

12 hours later----
3 tsp PECTIC ENZYME
3 tsp YEAST ENERGIZER
6 tsp YEAST NUTRIENT

12 hours later
LALVIN RC-212 YEAST

Do the oak chips and vanilla beans get added in during primary fermentation?

And - is there anything special to preparing the vanilla bean?

 

[Wade E]

You can add the oak or vanilla bean when ever you want but Id add the vanilla bean up front. Just split the vanilla bean down the middle and put in primary.

 

[winemaker_3352]

You can add the oak or vanilla bean when ever you want but Id add the vanilla bean up front. Just split the vanilla bean down the middle and put in primary.

So you said oak chips or vanilla bean - should this not be made with both?

One or the other?

 

[Mud]

Elderberry takes oak very well. I wouldn't be afraid to do both.

 

[winemaker_3352]

Elderberry takes oak very well. I wouldn't be afraid to do both.

I assume in the primary as well.

Now the directions on the oak chips say to boil them - is that what do before adding the oak chips in?

 

[Mud]

Whoa. Totally ignore me. I was just looking at some eldo threads. Hence the comment about elderberry taking oak well. I have no idea here. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[winemaker_3352]

Whoa. Totally ignore me. I was just looking at some eldo threads. Hence the comment about elderberry taking oak well. I have no idea here. Sorry for the confusion.

Hey no problem - i have been there before

Anywho - how do you prepare your oak chips for your elderberry wine?

I would imagine that the oak chip prep would be the same.

 

[Mud]

Cut a piece of white oak into 3/4" x 5/8" x 6" lengths and grill them over low heat in a foil pack until they are chocolaty brown. Might take some practice to get anything besides charred chunks. I have to prop the lid open a bit and use the upper rack.

That size is easy to remove and it fits in a 1 gallon jug or larger.

 

[winemaker_3352]

hmm - the bag of toasted oak chips i have just say to boil them for a few min - then add to primary.

These are already chopped up into pieces - so we may using different chips.

 

[Wade E]

Mud makes his own chips. All I meant before is that I choose to add oak while aging unless using dust like in a kit or chips due to the fact that they do their job much faster unlike staves or cubes or spirals which I prefer. The vanilla bean can do either also.

 

[winemaker_3352]

Thanks.

Couple more questions - once the juice has been simmered out of the cherries - do i discard the pulp - or put it into a bag and place into primary?

Does the concentrate go in during primary or is it used to backsweeten?

 

[djrockinsteve]

Wade, if I were to use this recipe but make it a chocolate choke cherry wine would (do you think) all I need to add would be cocoa powder and the choc. extract? I think the vanilla beans and oak might still add a great taste to it.

The gravity looks good, maybe a hair less.

 

[winemaker_3352]

Wade, if I were to use this recipe but make it a chocolate choke cherry wine would (do you think) all I need to add would be cocoa powder and the choc. extract? I think the vanilla beans and oak might still add a great taste to it.

The gravity looks good, maybe a hair less.

Damn - that sounds hella good!!!

 

[djrockinsteve]

Jon, darn these wine makers on this site. I'm starting to bottle some of my wines to make way for the new seasons wine and I'm getting crab apples, choke cherries etc. I'm out of carboys, gotta buy more, I guess 15 5 gallons isn't enough.

On top of that I'm building a new table to work and age wine and build another massive wine rack. I'm runnin' out of room. But what a great supply I'm building up.

and yes, Chocolate Choke Cherry wine sounds really good. My wife just had a bottle of choc. cherry and loved it. Maybe it's all her fault.")

 

[winemaker_3352]

Yeah - i don't have that many carboys "yet" but i am making my way. I have 2 - 6 gallon and 4 - 6.5 gallon and a bunch of 1 gallon carboys.


I am hoping to get about 4 or 5 more 6 gallon ones around christmas time .

I just built two counter top spaces and installed a utility sink as well.

 

[Denny32]

Looks like a good recipe to use

Choke Cherry Season is almost over near Lake Superior. My friend and I got real lucky in finding an incredible amount of berries. 120 pounds picked, washed, bagged, and frozen in three times out. We were even lucky enough to convince our wives to come picking today.

In looking at many recipes for Choke Cherry wine, I can always count on this forum to point out the great ones.